When our children are small, we say it all the time: it takes a village to raise a child. We say it at baby showers and birthday parties, in pediatricians' waiting rooms and at youth sporting events. We lean on grandparents, neighbors, church families, and friends, and we're grateful for each one.
I've been thinking about this with my own son. He's four, and we're preparing for kindergarten next year. His classroom already looks different than it did a year ago, with more independence and new expectations. He's growing up fast, but he still needs his people around him. That doesn't stop at kindergarten, and it doesn't stop at high school either.
Somewhere along the way, though, we stop saying it. Our children grow taller, more independent, more sure of themselves. They become teenagers. They become high schoolers. And it's easy to assume the village has done its job and can step back.
But here's the truth: our high schoolers need the village more than ever. They're figuring out who they are, what they believe, and where they're headed. They're preparing for college, careers, and adulthood. This is exactly the season when they need to look up and see a crowd cheering them on most.
There's an old proverb that says it simply: Many hands make light work. None of us can do this alone, whether parent, teacher, or school. We are better together. Community pushes us forward, and when we pour into something side by side, we can do far more than any of us could on our own.
What Makes a School Feel like a School
A school is more than a building, a schedule, or a curriculum. What makes a school feel like a school is people showing up. It's families filling the bleachers, neighbors stopping by, and friends of the school who believe in what happens inside our walls and choose to be part of it.
Rise Academy is the only independent high school in Richmond's East End. That's something special, and it's something worth rallying around. Our students deserve a community that shows up for them with the same energy and love they bring to their classrooms every day.
And this season, there are so many ways to do just that.
A Season of Coming Together
Admissions Open House: Thursday, November 5, 6pm. Admissions for the 2027–2028 school year are open. If you know a family looking for a high school where students are known, challenged, and supported, invite them to come see Rise Academy for themselves. Better yet, come with them.
Purple and White Alumni Game: Thursday, November 12, 6 PM. Our alumni are coming home! Join us as Rise Academy graduates return to the court to kick off basketball season. It's a night to reconnect, cheer loudly, and have fun together as one Rise Academy family. Bring the whole crew.
Night of Soul: Saturday, November 14. Join us for an evening of music, fellowship, and celebration, with every sale benefiting Rise Academy. Bring your spouse, your friends, your coworkers. Make it a night out with a purpose.
Parent Engagement Night: November 3 . This is a chance for families to connect with teachers, with one another, and with what your student is learning. Your presence tells your student that their education matters to you.
Ways You Can Get Involved
Whether you're a Rise Academy parent, an alum, a neighbor, a church partner, or a friend who believes in our mission, there's a place for you here:
Show up. Attend the Purple and White Alumni Game, Night of Soul, Parent Engagement Night, and student showcases. Your presence matters more than you know.
Volunteer. Chaperone a trip, help at events, or share your time and talents with our students.
Share your career. Speak to a class, host a job shadow, or offer an internship. Our students need to see what's possible.
Mentor. Invest in a student's growth through consistent encouragement and guidance.
Give. Contribute to our annual fund, sponsor an event, or shop our school wishlist found on our website. Gifts of every size make a difference.
Open doors. Introduce us to your church, business, civic group, or network. Many of our strongest partnerships started with one introduction.
Spread the word. Invite families to our Open House on November 5, tell others about Rise Academy, follow us on social media, and share our story.
Together We, Rise
Our students are becoming the adults who will shape this community for years to come. The investment we make in them today, through our time, our presence, our resources, and our belief, will echo far beyond graduation day.
So this is my invitation to you: come be part of the village. Come see what's happening at 2010 Carlisle Avenue. Come cheer, come serve, come give, come connect. Because when we do this together, there's no limit to how high our students can rise.
With gratitude,
Dr. Brittany Lopes
Head of School, Rise Academy
